Recording instruments



Nov. 22, 1966 M. R. PETIT 3,286,625

RECORDING INSTRUMENTS Filed July 28, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 22, 1966 M. R. PET 3,286,625

RECORDING INSTRUMENTS Filed July 28, 1965 2 Sheets -Sheet 2 i 5 a /zw/ww United States Patent a company of France Filed July 28, 1965, Ser. No. 475,545 Claims priority, application France, Nov. 12, 1962, 9 4

5 Claims. (Cl. 101-93 This application is a continuation-in-part of United States patent application Serial No. 322,467, filed November 8, 1963, now abandoned, and entitled, Improvements in Recording Instruments.

The present invention is concerned in general with improvements in recording instruments or printing machines. More especially, although not exclusively, the invention relates to a recording machine which produces an analogue marking and which is of the type comprising a marking cylinder on which is formed at least one raised portion substantially defining a lineal configuration, such as a helix, and at least one marking means such as a hammer or another cylinder. There is a printing support, such as a strip of sheet material, and drive means for causing the printing support to move between said cylinder and said hammer. Other means are provided for adjusting the angular position of the cylinder for each impression and for driving said hammer against said cylinder for the purpose of applying the impression upon the printing support.

Machines of this type are already known, as shown for example in United States Patent No. 2,909,996 issued to Fitch October 27, 1959, and entitled, High Speed Printing Mechanism, which can be employed for conventional printing. These machines are primarily useful for the purposes of analogue marking wherein the control of the marking means and of the angular position of the marking cylinder is carried out, for example, by means of a synchronous signal-train generator which comes into operation in respect of predetermined positions of the cylinder, the signals produced by said generator being transmitted to the hammers by means of gates which are controlled by coded pulses, a clear image of which it is desired to obtain on the printing support. However, machines of this type are subject to certain drawbacks.

In the first place, such prior machines lack precision inasmuch as the accuracy of the ordinate of the impression on the printing support, which is measured parallel with the axis of the cylinder, depends on the exact angular position of said cylinder at the moment of marking in view of the fact that the marking is applied against a raised portion defining a lineal path, such as a helical configuration.

In the second place, where prior machines of this general character have used a helical rib on the cylinder, the helix has in one 360 degree revolution around the cylinder been required to produce a range of 100 digits, each of which must be produced at a different rotational position of the cylinder with respect to the hammers. In other words, each 3.6 degrees change in rotational position of the cylinder represented an increase or decrease of one digit. Accordingly, any slight wear in the driving mechanism for the cylinder or any slight malfunction in the synchronization of the associated parts 3,286,625 Patented Nov. 22, 1966 "ice could produce a sufficient error in the angular speed or position of the surface of the cylinder to exceed the 3.6 degrees so than an inaccurate impression would be made upon the printing support.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages noted above. To this end, one embodiment of the improvements in accordance with the invention is essentially characterized by providing a single, helical raised portion or rib, which is arranged upon the peripheral surface of the cylinder so that it defines 10 substantially identical helixes around said cylinder between the ends thereof. Thus, according to the first embodiment of the invention, the single raised rib follows a selected path along and preferably around the cylinder.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the aforementioned helixes is made up of 10 arcuate segments or sectors which are preferably spaced from each other and extend circumferentially a distance somewhat longer than their extent axially of the cylinder. Thus, while the segments are preferably located along a substantially helical path, they constitute a discontinuous series of unitary raised portions, which substantially define planes at right angles to the axis of the cylinder.

It will be apparent that, in the second form of the invention, the marking means or hammer cooperates with the raised segments so that the impression is consequently the same irrespective of the exact angular position of the marking cylinder. Thus, the ordinate of the point of impression on the printing support does not depend for its precision upon the exact angular position of the cylinder, but upon the axial location of the unitary raised portion upon said cylinder.

A clear understanding of the invention will in any case be obtained by reference to the description which follows hereinafter and which is given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows diagrammatically a recording machine for producing analogue representations, said machine comprising a cylinder on which is formed a' raised helical ridge having 10 similar convolutions.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view substantially as taken along the line IIII in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragment of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a further enlarged fragment of FIGURE 1 showing an alternate construction.

FIGURES is a sectional view taken along the line V-V in FIGURE 4.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, it can be seen that a machine for logical marking essentially comprises a cylinder 1 on which is formed a rib 2 of substantially helical configuration. In this embodiment, the rib 2 includes 10 similar and 360 degree convolutions between the ends of the cylinder 1. There is mounted opposite each convolution or pitch of the helical rib a hammer 3 which is subjected to the influence of operating means 4 consisting of a solenoid or an electromagnet so designed that the armature of said electromagnet can be driven forward against the hammers 3 so as to drive these latter in their turn against the marking cylinder 1. Thus, if a printing support 5 is being moved between the hammers 3 and the cylinder 1, a mark will be made on said support at the point of contact between the striking edge of the hammer 3 and the rib 2. It will be readily apparent that the marking means could be constituted by a second cylinder which is adapted to rotate in conjunction with the printing support, the impression being in that case produced by radial movement of the second cylinder or by the flow of an electric current between said second cylinder and the nearest point on said rib.

FIGURE 1 illustrates diagrammatically the means for driving the cylinder 1 and the means for operating the hammers 3. Specifically, the cylinder 1 may be coaxially mounted upon a shaft 20 which is supported by bearings 21. A signal cylinder 22 is also mounted coaxially upon the shaft 20 which is connected to and rotated by the motor 23. Thus, the cylinder 22, which is part of the synchronous, signal-train generator G, and the cylinder 1 are simultaneously rotated by the shaft 20.

The signal-train generator G produces a number of signals corresponding to angular positions of the marking cylinder 1 as defined by locations of the switch actuators 7 on the cylinder 22. In this particular embodiment, there are switch actuators 7 on the cylinder 22 located at equal or 36 degree intervals around the circumference of the cylinder. Said actuators are preferably disposed uniformly along a single path on the cylinder, such as to form a helix. Ten normally open switches 6 are located adjacent the peripheral surface of the signal cylinder 22 so that each switch is radially aligned with the portion of the cylinder 22 upon which one of the switch actuators is located. To simplify the mechanism, the switches 6 are preferably arranged along a straight line parallel with the axis of the shaft 20. Each switch 6 is closed by one of said actuators each time the signal cylinder 22 is rotated, and said switches 6 are electrically connected in parallel between the amplifier 10 and ground 24. The amplifier 10, which may be of any conventional type, is connected through a source 25 of electrical potential to the ground 24A. Each switch 6 is connected in series with an and gate or normally open switch 8, which is operated through its connection to the terminal 9.

There are 10 solenoids, one being mechanically linked to each hammer 3, which are electrically connected in parallel between the amplifier 10 and ground 2413. Each solenoid 4 is connected in series with an and ,gate or normally open switch 11 which is operated through its connection to the terminal 12. The hammer 3 connected to the core of any given solenoid is driven against the rib 2 on the cylinder 1 when such solenoid is energized from the source 25 through the amplifier 10 and the closure of the appropriate switch 11. The amplifier is operated to energize a solenoid 4 in response to the simultaneous closing of a pair of series'switches 6 and 8 whereby the signal from the generator G is converted to a suitable output for energizing the solenoid 4 from the source of energy 25.

The terminals 9 and 12, associated with the switches 8 and 11, respectively, may be points for receiving electrical impulses from a control circuit in a manner substantially and generally similar to that disclosed in the Fitch Patent No. 2,909,996. That is, referring to FIGURES 6 and 7 of the Fitch patent, each input terminal 12may cor respond to a separate input line 107 of Fitch, a single line 113 and, omitting the translator 115, the line 117 and a gate 123, which corresponds to applicants gate 11. The lines 117, 118, 119, and so forth, of Fitch correspond to applicants terminals 9. Thus, it will be seen that the recorder of the invention can be used with existing devices which feed impulses to the terminals 9 and 12, whereby the switches 8 and 11 are operated to complete a circuit between the generator G and one of the hammers-3 in a predetermined manner.

On the other hand, the terminals 9 and 12 may merely be pushbuttons, manually operable for the purpose of closing the switches 8 and 11, respectively. In fact, for the purposes of this invention, it is immaterial whether the terminals 9 and 12 are relays, switches, pushbuttons or conductors for impulses, so long as they do in fact effeet a controlled closing (or opening) of the switches 8 and 11 in response to a predetermined arrangement which results in operation of the hammerse 3 whereby an impression is made on the printing support 5.

It will be apparent, however, that the axial location of the impression on the printing support 5 depend on the exact angular position of the marking cylinder 1, due to the helical shape of the rib 2. Consequently, the accuracy of the impression which is applied on the printing support 5 depends upon the synchronization of the hammers movement with the rotational speed of the cylinder 1. For this reason, the applicant designed the marking cylinder, as shown in FIGURE 1, so that the helical rib 2 is comprised of 10, preferably identical, 360 degree convolutions 27, each of which has an associated hammer 3 which, under normal operation of the recorder, can strike its corresponding convolution at 10 different locations thereon spaced approximately 36 degrees apart circumferentially of the cylinder 1. Each convolution 27 corresponds to a decade so that the 10 convolutions give a range of from 0 to 99 numerical digits that can be impressed or plotted upon the printing support 5, and each convolution provides 10 digits. The pitch of the helical rib 2 may be, and preferably is, relatively steep to minimize error in the ordinate or axial direction resulting from poor synchronization. It is though that such lack of synchronization will be substantially uniform in the abscissa or circumferential direction so that control over deviation in the ordinate is far more important. That is, a shift in the abscissa is easily compensated by relocation of the zero point. However, a shift in the ordinate can alter values in an indeterminable amount.

In this particular embodiment, the leftward convolution 27 in FIGURE 1 covers the decade 0 to 9, the second leftward decade covers 10 to 19, and so forth, rightwardly along the cylinder 1. It will be apparent that theparticular rotational position of the cylinder 1 at the time of impact by the selected hammer 3 in any given instance will be determined by the units signal produced from the pulse generator G.

Although the arrangement of the rib 2 disclosed in FIG- URES 1, 2 and 3 has produced an improvement over the prior art structures wherein a single helical convolution is used for the entire range of 0 to 99 and wherein a different type of signal generator G is utilized, the embodiment of applicants invention shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 has produced a further refinement. That is, the rib 2 has been broken up into a plurality of circumferentially arranged, arcuate segments 13 which are spaced from each other axially of said cylinder 1A and which, in a preferred embodiment, extend through an angle of approximately 36 degrees along the circumference of said cylinder. The segments or sectors 13 are preferably located so that a single line 28 extending through the centers thereof substantially defines a helix around the cyllinder 1A. However, it will be apparent that said segments 13 can be arranged along a different type of linear path, if desired. There are 10 segments 13 in each 360 degree convolution of the helical line 28 which are en gageable by a single hammer 3A. Preferably, the segments 13 in any given convolution are positioned so that they. correspond to the positions of the switch actuators 7 on the signal cylinder 22.

The main advantage of the FIGURE 4 construction over the FIGURE 3 construction resides in the greater accuracy of the ordinate during a recording operation. That is, for example, where relatively small spacing is required between adjacent units in any decade, errors in circumferential positioning of the cylinder 1 which, could make a material difference in the axial position of the impressi-on produced by'the rib 2, would have no effect whatsoever upon an impression made by one of the segments 13 on the cylinder 1A. The relative immateriality of the abscissa shift would remain the same as in cylinder 1 for the same reasons. Thus, it can be seen that the structure of FIGURE 4 provides a greater margin in which an error of synchronization can be ignored, and this can be very advantageous to a high speed recorder involving the mechanical operation of the hammers 3.

If the impression is effected by an electrical impulse passing, for example, from a hammer 3 to the aligned segment 13, then the likelihood of error can be reduced even further, due to the substantially instantaneous operation of an electrical impulse, particularly by comparison with the mechanical movement of the hammer.

While the cylinders 1 and 22 are shown as coaxial and mounted upon the same shaft 20, it will be recognized that these cylinders could be located in a variety of different relative positions and driven by separate shafts so long as their rotational movements are accurately synchronize-d in a predetermined manner. That is, there must be a predetermined relationship between the closing of the switches 6 by the actuators 7 and the rotational speed of the cylinder 1.

The device of the invention can be used to plot or graph data on the printing support 5 by operation thereof in a manner which is probably evident from the foregoing descriptive material. That is, for example, if it becomes desirable to impress the printing support 5 with a mark corresponding to the numeral 35, the terminal 12B is operated, or energized as the case may be, to close the switch 11B, and the terminal 9B is operated or energize-d to close the switch 8B whereby the circuit is completed from the switch 6B through the switch 8B and the amplifier 10. Also, the circuit is closed from amplifier 10 to ground 24B through switch 11B. Thus, when the switch actuator 7B closes the switch 6B, an electrical impulse passes through the amplifier 10, whereby the circuit including the solenoid 4B, the switch 11B and the amplifier 10 is energized by the source 24 to operate the solenoid 4B and thereby move the hammer 38 against the rib 2 on the cylinder 1. Due to the synchronized rotational movement of the cylinders 1 and 22, the hammer 3B will cause an impression to be made upon the printing support 5 at a rotational position on the cylinder 1 corresponding to the rotational position of the switch actuator 7B on the cylinder 22. By following this procedure, any number in the range of to 99 can be applied tothe printingsupport by the appropriate hammer 3.

In FIGURE 3, the printing support 5 is disclosed with impressions 30 thereon to indicate one type of marking that may be produced by the striking of a hammer 3 against the rib 2 in successive strokes.

The operation for the embodiment shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 is substantially the same as set forth above with respect to the embodiment of FIGURE 1, except that the accuracy of the ordinate is increased by the circumferential positioning of the discontinuance segments 13, without affecting the accuracy of the abscissa.

It will be readily understood that the foregoing embodiments of the invention have been described in detail solely by way of example. It accordingly follows that any and all detailed modifications which are made in the said embodiments, without thereby departing from either the scope or the spirit of the claimed invention, are fully contemplated.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

' 1. A recording machine for making impressions on a printing support comprising the combination:

a cylinder having at least one series of axially spaced, circumferentially elongated and radially projecting sectors arranged to define on the periphery of said cylinder a linear path extending along, and at least partially around, said cylinder, the angular extent of each sector being substantially less than 90 degrees;

means for continuously rotating said cylinder;

a plurality of hammers distributed axially along said cylinder, each hammer extending axially of said cylinder to be engageable with a plurality of adjacent sectors, the engaging surface on each hammer adjacent said cylinder having a dimension, in a direction circumferentially' of the adjacent surface of the cylinder, substantially smaller than the circumferential extent of the sectors engageable thereby;

a printing support disposed between said hammers and said cylinder for engagement by said hammers whereby to press said support against those of said sectors radially aligned with said hammers, each sector being capable of providing the same type of impression throughout its circumferential length;

means for moving said support between said cylinder and said hammers transaxially of said cylinder;

means for driving selected ones of said hammers toward said cylinder; and

means for synchronizing the movement of said hammers with the rotation of said cylinder.

2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said sectors are arranged in a spiral having a plurality of convolutions around said cylinder; and

wherein each of said hammers is engageable with the sectors defining one convolution.

3. A recording machine for making impressions on a printing support comprising the combination:

an elongated marking member and means supporting same for rotation around a lengthwise axis thereof;

rib means secured to said marking member and projecting radially outwardly therefrom, said rib means extending both circumferentially and axially along the periphery of said member, said rib means being arranged to define not more than one substantially helical path having a plurality of similar 360 degree convolutions around said member, said rib means having radially outwardly facing, arcuate surface :rneans substantially coincident with and defining a cylinder concentric with said axis, substantially any plane passing through said surface means and perpendicular to said axis defining along said surface means an arcuate line of substantial length, the area of said surface adjacent said line being capable of providing the same type of impression throughout its length;

means for continuously rotating said marking member;

a plurality of hammers distributed axially along said member, each hammer having engaging edge means ajacent said surface means substantially parallel with said axis, each said edge means being engageable with substantially any part of said surface means in one convolution, the engaging edge means on each hammer having a dimension parallel with said axis substantially equal to the axial extent of the convolution enga-geable thereby and a dimension transverse of said axis substantially less than the length of said area;

a printing support disposed between said hammers and said marking member for engagement by said edge means of said hammers whereby to press said support against the surface means radially aligned with said hammers, the surface means on each convolution being capable of providing the same type of impression substantially throughout its length;

means for moving said support between said surface means and said hammers transaxially of said member;

driving means for moving selected ones of said hammers toward said surface means, said driving means including a signal member and switch means responsive to operation of said signal member for controlling the movement of the selected hammer; and

means for synchronizing the operation of said signal member with the rotation of said marking member.

4. A machine according to claim 3, wherein said marking member is cylindrical and concentric with said axis; and

7 wherein said rib means is a single band arranged in a helix around said member, the width of said band being approximately equal to one-tenth of the length of said edge means of each hammer. 5. A machine according to claim 3, wherein said path has at least 10 convolutions; and

wherein there are at least 10 hammers, each hammer being associated with one of said 10 convolutions, and the edge means of said hammers is arranged substantially along a single line.

8 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

W. F. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A RECORDING MACHINE FOR MAKING IMPRESSIONS ON A PRINTING SUPPORT COMPRISING THE COMBINATION: A CYLINDER HAVING AT LEAST ONE SERIES OF AXIALLY SPACED, CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ELONGATED AND RADIALLY PROJECTING SECTOR ARRANGED TO DEFINE ON THE PERIPHERY OF SAID CYLINDER A LINEAR PATH EXTENING ALONG, AND AT LEAST PARTIALLY AROUND, SAID CYLINDER, THE ANGULAR EXTENT OF EACH SECTOR BEING SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN 90 DEGREE; MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY ROTATING SAID CYLINDER; A PLURALITY OF HAMMERS DISTRIBUTED AXIALLY ALONG SAID CYLINDER, EACH HAMMER EXTENDING AXIALLY OF SAID CYLINDER TO BE ENGAGEABLE WITH A PLURALITY OF ADJACENT SECTORS, THE ENGAGING SURFACE ON EACH HAMMER ADJACENT SAID CYLINDER HAVING A DIMENSION, IN A DIRECTION CIRCUMFERENTIALLY OF THE ADJACENT SURFACE OF THE CYLINDER, SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER THANT HE CIRCUMFERENTIAL EXTENT OF THE SECTORS ENGAGEABLE THEREBY; A PRINTING SUPPORT DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID HAMMERS AND SAID CYLINDER FOR ENGAGEMENT BY SAID HAMMER WHEREBY TO PRESS AND SUPPORT AGAINST THOSE OF SAID SECTORS RADIALLY ALIGNED WITH SAID HAMMBERS EACH SECTOR BEING CAPABLE OF PROVIDING THE SAME TYPE OF IMPRESSION THROUGHOUT ITS CIRCUMFERENTIAL LENGTH; MEANS FOR MOVING SAID SUPPORT BETWEEN SAID CYLINDER AND SAID HAMMERS TRANSAXIALLY OF SAID CYLINDER; MEANS FOR DRIVING SELECTED ONES OF SAID HAMMERS TOWARD SAID CYLINDER; AND MEANS FOR SYNCHRONIZING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID HAMMERS WITH THE ROTATION OF SAID CYLINDER. 